The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-05-24

John Burk was in the compartment
which was flooded with water and re-
ceived a bad shock. He is a consump-
tive and is in a bad way. His address is
not given.
The first load of steerage passengers
from the Celtic was landed at Castle
Garden this morning, three hundred in
all. The steerage passenger list of the
Celtic includes 165 passengers.
STORY OF AN EYE WITNESS.
Tom Eagan, an intelligent young Ger
man just over, was an intermediate pas
senger on the Celtic. He was standing
ON the bridge of the Celtic when the
BritaI.nic first came in sight TIN 0ugh the
dense fog. He said to the reporter:
The Britannia was running at full
speed and the Celtic very slow. When
first seen the Britannia was heading to
starboard of the Celtic and, without
the starboard side. The Celtic signaled
and began to back water. The signal.
| understood To give way To starboard.
In doing this the britannia turned across
the Celtic's bow. At first l thought she
would clear us, she was going so fast,
but moment later it was apparent
there would be a collision. Just before
striking the Celtic veered to the right
little and struck back of the center of
the Britannia. The awful screaming of
the Won en- on board the Britannia fol-
lowed and the men joined in the noise.
There was not so much excitement on
the Celtic. The captain of the Britain
mic called out that the boat was sinking"
Several other steerage passengers on
the Celtic were spoken to and all said
that the Britannia was on the starboard
side of the Celtic when first seen and
would have cleared if she had given way
to the port side. The Britannia has not
yet come up the bay.
NOT SURE OF THE STEERAGE LIST.
Mr.. j. B. Ismay, General Agent of the
White Star Line, was on the Britannia
this morning. Various estimates of the
steerage passenger list of the
Britannia were made at the office of the
line. The figures range between 100 and
2i0 persons. No official list was at the
Office and the statement was made that
the list is not made out ON outgoing
steamers until within two days sail of
the other side. 1t is difficult to see how
a statement of the missing can be made
under the circumstances. Ii is stated at
the office that the captains of the two
steamships had made no statement. The
reports will be in and Wi" undoubtedly
be lengthy documents.
The office of the White Star Line was
crowded all the morning with friends of
the passengers on the Britannia and Gel
tic making anxious inquiries. The ma
jority of the inquiries were from the
friends of the steerage passengers. Very
little Information was attainable. The
crowd gradually dwinlled away during
the morning.
The passengers from the Celtic who
landed at Castle Garden do not seem to
any the worse for their experience.
They were jolly md laughing and not at
all affected by the scenes they had
passed through.
The Celtic was towed to her dock from
the lower bay to-day. The officers and
crew were very reticent and uncommuni-
cative. having received orders from the
captain, who left Immediately to enter at
the custom house, to have nothing to say
To reporters. The officers. in what little
they could be induced to say. and the
the passenges un Nersally agree that there
was no panic on the Celtic.
BIG ENOUGH FOR a TEAM OF HORSES.
The damage to the Celtic, which could
not definitely be ascertained in the fog
of yesterday, proves to be quite serious.
Her bow is stove in for distance of
eight feet from the stem and forced over
to starboird, leaving an opening ex-
tending below the water line into which
a team of horses might be easily driven.
Capt. Irving was found at the office OF
the White Star Line and requested To
give his story of the collision. He said:
Il have nothing to tell the press. Sir. T.
). May, agent of the line, has my official
report as well as that of Captain Perry
of the Britanic and he can give YOU such
them. presume they will differ in ma
terial respects and it will require judi
cial mind to determine just what is or was
the exact state of affairs. 1t would not
be right or fair to Captain Perry or my
self to tell my story to the press